Machine for laminating and reinforcing webs



Feb. 20, 1951 J. w. HOLLAND J 2,542,139

MACHINE FOR LAMINATING AND REINFORCING WEBS Q Filed May 25, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jne/r 14 H044 0N0 ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1951 J. w. HOLLAND 2,542,139

MACHINE FOR LAMINATING AND REINFORCING WEBS INVL.JTOR Jack M flo4uiwo ATTORNEY Feb. 20, .1951 J. w. HOLLAND MACHINE FOR LAMINATING AND REINFORCING WEBS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 25, 1949 INVENTOR Jvar h! Hana/v0 BY ,zww

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1951 MACHINE FOR LAMINATIN G AND REINFORCIN G WEBS Jack W. Holland, Hopatcong, N. J.

Application May 25, 1949, Serial No. 95,240

2 Claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and machine which will dispose transverse reinforcing elements accurately between two or more webs of sheet material while the webs are constantly fed forward, and to do this at a substantial rate of feed of the webs.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and machine as aforesaid capable of producing simultaneously two 2-ply laminated webs with transverse reinforcing elements between the plies.

The above and other objects will be made clear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation view of the improved machine;

Figure 2 is an elevation on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the mounting of certain of the parts; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3.

In a copending application of Fred Stocker, Serial No. 68,643, filed December 31, 1948, there is described a method and machine for laminating two plies of paper with reinforcing filaments lying between the plies, embedded in the laminating agent, and extending transverse the length of the webs. The machine and method of the present invention are intended to operate on similar webs but at a greatly increased lineal speed of the webs. The webs may be of any desired material such as cloth or paper and if paper is used any combinations of plain or creped or embossed paper may be used.

Considered as a method the present invention contemplates continuously advancing and superimposing a pair of webs, then wrapping continuously a plurality of filaments transversely around the superimposed webs and thereafter superimposing upon each outer face of the two superimposed webs an additional web so as to have a set of filaments between each exterior and the next adjacent interior web while supplying a laminating agent (in which each set of filaments is embedded) between the uppermost and lowermost pairs of plies. The loops of filament formed at the margins of the first two webs are then severed, permitting the subsequent separation and separate rewinding of two 2-ply laminated webs with reinforcing filaments extending transversely thereof.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a pair of webs I and I2 brought together between primary combining rolls [4 and I6. The webs l0 and 12 are fed from conventional rolls (not shown). The webs l0 and I2 pass between a 2 pair ofbelts l8 and 20. These preferably are fiat resilient metallic strips. The belts l8 and 20 are continuous and pass over guide rolls 22, 24 and 26 and also over a secondary combining roll 28.

An exterior web 30 is fed from any conventional source over a guide roll 32, thence to the combining roll 28. A coating roll 34 picks up laminating agent from a vat 36 and applies it to the web 39 as the web 30 passes over the combining roll 28. A second exterior web 38 is fed from any conventional source over a guide roll 4|] and a second guide roll 42 which brings it to an upper secondary combining roll 44. An offset roll 46 bears against the web 38 on the upper combining roll 44 and applies to the web laminating agent received from a roll 48 which operates in a vat 50. It will thus be seen that web II] will be laminated to the web 38 and the web l2 will be laminated to the web 40. The combined webs l0 and 38 are designated as 52 and the combined webs l2 and 30 are designated as 54. The web 52 leaves rolls 28 and 44 and passes over a series of heated drums 56 while the combined web 54 leaves rolls 28 and 44 and passes over a series of dryer rolls 58. The purpose of these dryer rolls is to cure the laminating agent in the manner set forth in the Stocker application above noted. When the curing operation is complete the webs 52 and 54 are rewound on any conventional reel.

The webs l0 and I2 and the belts l8 and 2 pass between a pair of large, identical wheels or turrets 60 and 90 only one of which will be described in detail. Each wheel has a pair of flanges 62 and 64 which define between them a groove 66. The bottom of the groove 66 is made in the form of gear teeth 68. A pinion 10 is suitably supported at one side and below the center of the wheel and a similar pinion I2 is located at the opposite side. These pinions enter the groove 66 and mesh with the teeth 68. The pinion 12 is rotatively mounted on a shaft 14 to which is secured a helical gear 16 driven by a similar helical gear 18. Any suitable clutch is secured to the pinion I2 and may be used at will to connect the pinion 12 to the shaft 14 for rotation therewith. The wheel is similarly supported on pinions, one of which is similarly mounted for clutching engagement with the shaft 14. This provides means for driving either wheel 60 or wheel 90 or for releasing either wheel and, when released, either wheel may be turned by hand which is an important factor when it is necessary to recharge a wheel with filament.

The speed of rotation of the wheels depends on the number of spindles per wheel, the desired spacing of the filaments on the webs I and I2, and the desired lineal speed of these webs. For example, if a wheel has six spindles and it is desired that the spacing of the filaments be onequarter inch and that the web speed be fifty feet per minute the necessary. rotary speed of the wheel is 400 R. P. M.

In practice twenty-four spindles will be used, with a web speed of one hundred feet per minute. it tieuiutu not touting u the filaments this requires a wheel speed of only 2.00 R. P. M. Each filament will slope six inches from side to side of webs I0 and I2, forming an m 0! about 7 on webs forty-eight inches wide I lflflille o! a little less than on webs sev- Ih-two inches wide. The angle of slope and he spacing of the filaments, for a given number d llllndles and a given web speed, form a joint Motion of the R. P. M. of the wheel. If, at one hundred feet per minute and twenty-four spin- :the wheel be run at 100 R. P. M. the spacing will be one-half inch and the slope will be 1:4 or about 14 on a forty-eight inch web or 1:6 or a little over 9 on a seventy-two inch web.

Ideally, the filaments should have no slope whatever relative to the length of the web and this ideal result is obtained in the aforesaid Smoker application. The present invention sacriilces the ideal no-slope condition to a great increase in production per machine and the slopes above noted do not have any seriously detrimental effect, particularly when the final web is slit into widths of from one to three inches.

The prior art affords several examples of attempts to use a wheel or an analogous mechanism-t0 supply transverse reinforcing filaments to laminated webs. In all cases, however, the entire set of filaments both upper and lower are supplied between a single pair of webs or are made to surround a single web which then becomes part of a 3-ply laminated product. While a B-ply product could be made on the present machine there is very little demand for such webs and by the expedient of producing two 2-ply Webs on a single machine the cost of the operation is greatly reduced.

From the above it is clear that operating speeds of the wheel may range from 300 R. P. M. to 500 R. P. M. Since the mass of the wheel necessarily is substantial it follows that there can be no abrupt clutching of the wheel to the drive and there must be provided some form of brake to bring a wheel to a stop within a reasonable time after it is unclutched. The problem of braking is solved by the provision of brake shoes 88 manually operated by any suitable linkage, while the problem of clutching is solved by slowing the shaft I8 through a Reeves drive or other conventional speed control mechanism (not shown). This provision of means for adjusting speed of the wheel relative to that of the web is desirable in any event since it permits, within limits, an adjustment of the slope of the applied filaments relative to the direction of travel of the webs.

In addition to the flanges 62 and 64 each wheel has a projecting cylindrical portion 82 through which are formed a number of circular openings 84. For simplicity of description only six of these are indicated in Figures 1 and 2. In operation it is contemplated that wheel 60 will be started with six or more complete charges of filament and will be operated until all of the filaments are exhausted. Clutch 80 will then be used to release pinion I2 and wheel 60 from the turning effort ofshaft I4 and wheel 60 will be brought to a stop by means of brake shoe 88.

While wheel 60 is operating, wheel 90 will have been charged with filaments. Immediately on unclutching wheel 60 the machine will be slowed and wheel 90, by means of its clutch, will be connected to shaft 14 and the machine will then be restored to full speed. At no time is the drive feeding the webs I0, I2, and 38 interrupted. Flying splices will be made at the rolls as needed.

This entails some waste in that there will be occasional defective sections in the final combined webs 52 and 54 but at speeds in the region of one hundred feet per minute this waste does not equal in value the production which would be lost by a shutdown of sufficient duration either to form splices in the web or to recharge a wheel such as 60.

The recharging operation and the details of filament supply will best be understood by reference to Figures 3 and 4.

The material of the cylindrical portion 82, adjacent the circular openings 84; is milled or otherwise treated to provide a fiat surface to which a pair of lugs I00 are secured in diametric opposition around the openings 84. The lugs I00 may be secured to the cylindrical portion 82 by any suitable means such as screws I02. Each of the lugs I00 houses a pivot pin I04 upon which is rotatably mounted a locking lever I06 having a locking portion I08 and a handle portion I I0. Cap screws II2 threaded into the pivot pins I04 serve to prevent axial sliding of the members I06 on the pivot pins I04.

When the members I06 are turned from. the position indicated in Figure 4 the locking portions I08 are moved clear of the apertures 84 to permit the insertion of spindle assembles indicated generally at I20. The spindle unit I20 is made up of a sheet metal shell I22 suitably secured to a rigid backing member I24. The shell I22 is sized externally for a running fit through the apertures 84 while the backing member I24 is sized to fit between the lugs I00 and to overlie that portion of the cylindrical member 82 surrounding the apertures 84. A handle unember I26 is secured to the backing member I24. A combination rib and groove I28 is formed internally of the base of the cylindrical shell I22 adjacent'the backing member I24, while a similar external groove I30 is formed at the opposite or free end of the shell I22. A bobbin I32 containing reinforcing filaments has a resilient base I34 which by a simple thrust is frictionally engaged in the internal rib and groove combination I28 of the shell I22. A cap member I36 has a ribbed flange I38 which engages the external rib and groove I30 at the free end of the shell I22. The cap I36 has, at its center, an aperture I40 protected by a grommet I42 through which a filament I44 may be drawn from the bob bin I32. A bracket I46 is secured to the cap I36 and has a conventional thread tensioning device I 48 secured thereto. At its free end the cap I36 has an arm I50 in which is mounted a grommet I52 through which the filaments I44 pass after passing through the thread tensioning device I48.

Assuming that a wheel 60 has exhausted its charge of filaments and has been brought to a stop it is turned freely to give access to the Various sets of members I06 which are turned 90 from the position of Figure 4 to permit withdrawal of the units I20 by means of the hand grips I26. The exhausted bobbins are then removed by a simple manual pull and a full bobbin inserted by manual thrust suflicient to engage the resilient flange I34 with the rib and groove I28. A quantity of filament is withdrawn and threaded through the grommet I42, the thread tensioning device, and the aperture I52. The unit I20 is then reinserted through the aperture 84 in the cylindrical portion 82 of the wheel 60 and the members I06 are restored to the position illustrated in Figure 4, thereby locking the unit I20 in place.

It will be noted that this disposition of the units I20 permits the centripetal force caused by rotation of the wheel 60 to hold the cap I36 of the base I34 of the bobbin I32 in place so that frictional engagement is ample and adequate for this purpose. The centripetal force is resisted by the relatively strong and rigid members I06 and the backing member I24. When the wheel 60 has been fully recharged all of the filaments on the upper side of the webs I 0 and I2 are drawn together on one side of the machine and all the filaments below the webs I0 and I2 are brought together at the opposite side of the machine where they may be secured to any suitable clip or cleat. In the meantime the wheel 90 has been exhausting its charge of filaments and when it is brought to a stop the wheel 60 is started again. It is only necessary to release the filaments at each side of the machine after one revolution of the wheel to have the filaments begin to travel with the webs I0 and I2 and, within a very few feet of travel of the webs, the filaments will take on their proper spacing and slope.

Each filament, of course, is continuous as it travels around the belts I0 and 20. When these belts arrive at the combining roll 28 the webs 52 and 54 as shown in Figure 1 leave the belts I8 and 20 and these belts serve to break the loops of filament extending around them, permitting each web 52 and 54 to travel on with a series of individual disconnected transverse filaments between the plies.

It will be noted that in this disclosure there has been omitted any description of the details of conventional mechanical elements except where these are indispensible to understanding and operation of the machine. Any specific arrangement of motor, speed reducer, gearing, etc., is either dictated by local plant conditions or is a matter of the idiosyncrasies of any particular designer. The effort here has been to present only what applicant regards as the essence of the invention in sufficient detail to enable anyone skilled in the art to produce the machine and to practice the method. For this reason no attempt has been made to illustrate motors, bearings, clutch and brake details, supporting frames and other purely conventional elements.

I claim:

1. A machine for making reinforced webs comprising: means for superimposing a pair of webs; a pair of combining rolls receiving and advanc ing said superimposed webs; means to supply an additional web to said combining rolls at each side of said superimposed webs; a circular turret between said superimposing means and said combining rolls and means to rotate said turret, said turret surrounding said superimposed webs for rotation therearound; a plurality of spindles mounted on said turret and adapted to receive reels of reinforcing strand material; means to supply an additional pair of webs to said combining rolls, one of said webs lying on each exposed surface of said first two webs; means supplying a laminating agent between each exterior ply and the adjacent interior ply, means movable with said first named webs at the margins thereof for resisting the tension of said reinforcing material, said means entering between said combining rolls.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which the last named means comprises thin, fiat belts passing through the turret, around one of the combining rolls and having a return pass outside the turret.

JACK W. HOLLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

